The Nova Games
by V1ctoryThruP4in
Summary: An entire remake of the Hunger Games. A different story line, characters and development bringing you new characters, new arenas and a new system in the new Nova games.
1. Chapter 1

I lost my parents during the attempted rebellion. It was a desperate battle for freedom that resulted in failure. The years during the rebellion were tough, everyone held on to hope that the rebels would succeed but in the end all hope was lost. The government stillcontrolling us. Our country is called Utopulus with the Dome situated at the middle of it. Our rulers inhabit the Dome, the area where only the richest dwell. There's about 2 million of them who reside inside the Dome compared to the 200 million of us who dwell in the different cities around the country.

I'm now 16 years old, the past few years have seen me homeless stealing groceries from the local supermarket and digging around trash cans for survival. It was only when I was 14 when I was taken up by my caretaker Mary at her orphanage, I lost my parents in an accident, they were secretly planning rebellion against the Dome, and our house was set on fire the night that the town mayor began to suspect them for treason. They got me out on time, but it was both their sacrifice that led to me being alive today.

The Dome governs us, we're forced to become their entertainment and we're forced to celebrate their control. Every year some of us are thrown into an arena, to use our brains, physique, or luck to escape the arena. However, only one survives. Once you emerge victorious, you are showered with wealth, luxury and power. Victor's have an entire sector of the Dome dedicated to them, the Avenue of the Stars. It's the victor's hall of fame and is the most beautiful place in the whole of Utopulus.

Today's the day that they announce the beginning of the new Nova games. It's been 22 years since the event started and it's the beginning of the 23rd year today. Each year, 16 kids from 12-18 years old are chosen at random all over the 25 cities around Utopulus. My city Atlantia has been fairly lucky, out of 22 years our people have only been picked in 10 games. Although we've only come away with 2 victors.

Atlantia is located on the coast of Utopulus, as a result we suffer from floods and tsunami's quite often. Although because the technology in Atlantia is the best in Utopulus disregarding the Dome, we normally escape with little to no damage. But as a result of the constant floods and tidal waves were all taught to swim, swimming becomes an advantage in the games.

There was one year, where the majority of the action took place underwater. Players had to fight in an coral reef, each district was supplied with an oxygen tank that lasted for 12 hours. In order to get a new oxygen tank, you had to kill a player. Once you ran out of air, you had to leave to the beach where it became a battleground for life. The strongest competitor that year were two boys from Rhone and Artemis. Although the player from Atlantia knew how to swim and swiftly avoided all confrontations, when his time was up he was forced to take to land where he was subsequently killed by the boy from Artemis. The games was action packed and only lasted for 4 days. On the 4th day, the puppeteers flooded the beach which left the two boys swimming for the final showdown. Sponsor support and swimming ability in the end was the difference between the 2 players. The boy from Artemis, received a harpoon that ultimately became the weapon to end the boy from Rhone's life.

I can't remember his name, but his games were on rebroadcast yesterday night. He was a victor who incorporated intelligence and physical prowess to emerge victorious. Although Rohn has generated the most victors out of the cities. With 5 out of 22 victors they're the toughest competition almost every year. Their players tend to make it to the top 5 each year.

I wake up with a start, I find myself sweating as I turn towards my alarm clock, I realise it's been switched off. The time shows 11:00. Eleven o'clock, I can't believe Mary's let me stay up so late, but today is lottery day as we call it. Everyone's more lenient on lottery day, it's because no one knows who'll be picked for this year's Nova. I look outside the window, it's a typical sunny day in Atlantia. The cool breeze of the sea blowing, but the atmosphere is already tense. No one's out on the streets, everyone's at their houses facing the possibility that this is their last meal as a family.

I head downstairs and find the table filled with food, Mary saves the best food for lottery day. I recognise I'm the last person to the table with 7 other starving faces around the table.

"Sorry I'm late" I mumble

"Yeah, you lazy pig just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you get advantages". Miles an 8 year old boy screams at me. He's a nice lad with curly black hair and big brown eyes, he's like a little brother to me, both our parents were lost during the rebellion. He's beginning to understand why everyone dreads the Nova Games, but he's still too young to be chosen.

"Miles... be kind to Teddy, we never know what could happen today" Mary says, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

I'm the oldest one in the orphanage, the only other one who's viable to be picked is Louise a 12 year old girl. But the chances are so slim, that it's not even worth thinking about. We have lunch together, but today's conversation lacks the usual swerve. By the end of tonight, if neither me or Louise are picked it will all be normal again.

Lottery day starts at 2 in the afternoon, everyone from Atlantia is required to watch it. All 5 million of us, because not everyone can fit into the stadium at once, only the eligible kids are brought to the stadium. There's about 500 hundred thousand of us in total, each kid is assigned a number from 1-500,000 at random. The picking of the number is done at the Dome before the start of the event. No one knows what their number is, you only find out if you get picked when the mayor opens the letter and reads out your name. A child from 12 years old has one ball in the lottery, the amount gradually builds up and by 18 you have seven balls in the lottery. The chances aren't completely random, you can always sway your chances of being picked, there are competitions around the city which gain you points. One competition normally gains you 10 points, which means you will have 10 more balls than your standard amount. There are some kids who desperately want to win, so they enter every competition they can in the hopes of increasing their chances of being picked.

They're stupid, who would want to enter that hell hole of a place. I don't want recognition, fame or glory, all I want is a normal life in Atlantia at the orphanage going to school. However, the prospect of winning has swayed so many people's hearts. Thousands enter competitions in hope to get their chances of being picked up. You're not allowed to take the place off somebody else once they've been chosen unless they're family. With me having no brothers or sisters, if I get picked I'm bound to die. In fact, most people who generate points seem to die equally as quickly in the Nova. The highest record so far was 250 points accumulated by a boy in Rohn. He emerged victorious, Alastair Green was his name, in the 18th annual Nova games.

I walk up to my bedroom and find a suit lying on the bed, we have to look our best on lottery day, since it's broadcast for national television. If you get picked, sponsors will be bidding for you from the very beginning. It's very beneficial to make a good impression. I change into the suit, and look into the mirror. I'm surprised by how much different I look in these clothes.

"You'll be fine, Teddy. If you get picked, I'll definitely pour all my money into saving you"

I look around, and see Mary standing there. Looking up and down watching for flaws in my appearance.

"Do you honestly believe that?, I think I'll die quite quickly"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous you're one of the smartest boys at school. If anyone can think of a way to win the games it'll be you."

I'm surprised by this conversation, it's not often I hear Mary compliment me, but I guess over the last 2 years we've become family here at the orphanage.

She brushes my short brown hair for me, and sends me to say goodbye to the others. Louise and I exit the door, both of us dreading the probability that we were chosen. We slowly walk towards the stadium at the middle of the city.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Louise and I walk towards the giant building that is the stadium. Thousands of kids are all walking towards it, with security guards located at every entrance of the stadium. All kids have to sign in and attend the announcement of the players. No matter how disabled you are, you're forced to participate. I remember on the 15th Nova Games a boy who entered the arena in crutches. Because of his injury, he garnered lots of sympathy from the Dome residents and a lot of sponsor support. During the games, he stayed hidden away for the majority of the games. When the top 7 were left, sponsor support offered him bladed tonfa's that were make shift crutches. After that, he cut down the remainder of his competition and emerged victorious.

We're separated as I make my way towards the 17 year old section. I take my place amongst the others and stare at the letters placed on the table at the front stage. What are the chances that I've been picked. The odds seem so remote, but anything could happen. Last year two 12 year olds were picked, the chances were so remote that anyone would have thought that the Dome had rigged the lottery. I look around the stadium, and can see 500,000 nervous faces. Everyone looks nervous, there's barely any conversation around the stadium. Little bits of sound are picked up and echoed all over the stadium, after all at the end of this 2 people will most likely be dead.

We know that our broadcast time is here when the mayor begins speaking. He has to read out a long 15 minute speech reminding us of the origin of the Nova Games. Then comes the celebratory video from the Dome to welcome us all into a new year. After 30 minutes of boring crap, he introduces the man who will be our guide in the Dome.

"Everyone please welcome once again, Leon Black" The mayor says

We all clap half-heartedly as Leon takes his place on stage in front of the microphone. He has the typical stuck-up attitude of a Dome citizen. He's wearing an elaborate suit, with jewels encrusted into the jacket as well as a pair of white gloves. He's a man in his mid twenties, with black hair and brown eyes. His face looks cosmetically altered which is not a surprise to me. He's got big eyes and a pointy nose, his smile isn't warming it's a bit scary.

"Well then, let me introduce the winners of Atlantia." He announces excitedly.

"Please welcome, the victor of the 4th annual Nova Games one of the bright stars of the Dome. Everett Adams"

When he announces her name, he's practically jumping up and down. For a Dome citizen meeting a victor is a dream come true. We're told that many residents of the Dome try out to be guides just for the chance of meeting previous victors and reaping the glory when they manage to guide a player to victory. Though I'm not sure why he's so ecstatic about Everett. He's been a guide for 4 years now, and Everett accompanies him to the Dome each year.

Everett's a woman in her mid thirties. She has long wavy hazel brown hair, and big brown eyes. She has no shortage of fans in the Dome, her games was rather memorable. Everett used the arena to her own advantage. She was 16 when she was reaped for the 4th Nova Games. Her arena was a labyrinth filled with deadly traps made by the game makers. However, Everett used her own traps to kill players, she allied with a 12 year old girl who was agile and quick. With their combined effort, Everett's explosive killed 9 of the 16 players. Everett was incredibly fragile and weak-minded at the beginning of her games. She would cry every time somebody was killed by her traps, but the arena changed her. She became strong willed and used her intelligence to her advantage. She and her ally made it to the top 3 with ease, when faced with the boy from Virtus in the final. Her ally was quickly killed and speared by the boy, in revenge Everett used her sponsor support of a grenade and ended the boy from Virtus's life. It was a climatic final and she became the first ever Atlantian winner. It's no surprise she's remembered here, everyone aspires to be like her.

Everett walks up to one of two chairs on the stage. She sits down and glances around the stadium, no doubt betting on which player she'll have to mentor this year. After she's settled and the applause has stopped, Leon continues with the list.

"Sadly, for this year's games due to a bereavement Silver Sinclaire will not be able to mentor in this year's games."

Panic hits the roof, whispers surround the stadium. Where's Silver? She's the only other victor Atlantia has managed to produce. We quickly become hushed, when Leon speaks into the microphone.

"Don't worry, we've got another mentor here for you." Leon adds

I have no doubt that the substitute mentor will be from Rohn. They've got an abundance of mentors, since only 2 are required 3 of them will be free to mentor us. My first guess is that Everett's husband Dre will be here. Dre's a victor from Rohn, he won the year before Everett's. They fell in love after their games and became the first victor couple in the history of the Nova Games. From what I know, they've have twins who are now 5 years old.

"Please, welcome CHELSEA KNIGHT!"

My jaw collapses, Chelsea Knight? What's she doing here? Isn't she from Lunia? They've only got 3 victors? There not of an abundance there either. They're players are normally very attractive to the Dome, but they're not very intelligent. It's normally sponsor support that's carries the Lunian's to victory.

Chelsea walks out in a short red dress, with rubies encrusted on it. The room erupts with applause, mostly from the boys. She's all anybody ever talks about after her impressive victory from last year. There seems to be a sudden increase in eagerness amongst the boys. She's only 17, well I guess a boy can dream. With her flowing blonde hair and blue eyes, the Dome residents are captivated by her. She's appeared from one beauty magazine to another, as expected she's one of the biggest stars in the Dome right now.

She walks slowly to her seat, not afraid of showing off her figure and blowing kisses and waving at the crowd. The energy from the boy's half of the stadium is exploding, whilst the girls are just standing silently. After a short reminder from Leon, Chelsea makes her way to her seat, and puts herself beside Everett.

"Now is the time for me to announce the representatives of Atlantia for the 23rd annual Nova Games."

"As you can all tell, 2 players have been picked to be part of this extraordinary experience"

"Let's begin."

Leon walks over to the red envelope on the table by his podium. He reaches out and takes the first one.

"The first player from Atlantia for this year's games is..."

"Harry Huntly Peck"

I look 2 rows behind me and watch the shock register in his eyes. Harry Huntly Peck is the son of the electronics store owner in Atlantia. He's in my school year, but I've never really spoken to him. He's got curly black hair and is about 6"2. You can see in the corner of his eyes tears are beginning to form, he takes long strides up towards the stage and stands next to Leon. Judging by Everett and Chelsea's reaction, they already know he's heading towards death. The easiest way to make an impact on the Dome sponsors is to be physically attractive. The only other victors are those who have phenomenal skill in combat, or use their intelligence to carry themselves to victory. As far as I'm aware Harry has none of those values.

"Well then, for the second player from Atlantia this year."

Taking slow steps to reach the second envelope, everyone suddenly becomes tense. With a small population of 500,000 it's not likely for us to get one player, but two this year. The chances for that to occur are astronomically remote.

He walks up to the podium, rips the envelope to take out the piece of paper.

"The second player from Atlantia this year is..."

"Teddy Moore"


End file.
